Now that we’re in the middle of another holiday season, we’re hearing more and more stories about plumbing disasters. Most of these stem from Thanksgiving, when folks unwittingly give their garbage disposal too much to handle or let a little too much grease slip down the kitchen sink.
But we’re still in the middle of the holiday season, which means there are many more meals to cook—and many more opportunities for things to go wrong in the kitchen and the rest of the home.
As homeowners (and as people who have experience renovating homes), we know exactly how frustrating plumbing issues can be, so we’ve outlined some of the most common plumbing issues you may encounter.
5 Plumbing Problems and Their Solutions
Here are some of the most issues you could come across:
1. The sink is draining slowly. The source of the problem varies depending on the sink’s location. In the kitchen, the problem usually stems from food and fat, while bathroom sinks often suffer from hair and soap. The good news: There are many ways to fix it!
The fix: There are many ways to solve a slowly draining sink, including:
A plunger
A plumber’s snake
Baking soda and vinegar
2. Dripping faucets. We’ve all experienced that one faucet that seems to drip, drip, drip all day! In addition to being annoying, it can also drive up your water bill each month while wasting water. Most of the time, the culprit is an internal washer.
The fix: The proper fix generally depends on the type of faucet you have. In most cases, you’ll want to replace the cartridge inside the handles and check your O-ring for any signs of wear or damage.
3. The toilet won’t stop running. Have you ever finished up in the bathroom, only to realize that the toilet is still filling with water half an hour later? In most cases, this is because of a faulty flapper valve.
The fix: Jiggling the handle could be enough to put it back in place, or you could remove the tank lid to manually push it back into position. Of course, you would always opt for a toilet repair kit and replace it yourself.
4. Low water pressure. You’ll most likely find low water pressure in Pittsburgh’s older homes, but anyone can experience this issue. There are many potential causes, but the biggest are leaking pipes and sediment build-up.
The fix: Managing sediment build-up in the aerator is generally rather easy, so start there. Remove the aerator or shower head and soak it in vinegar. After a few hours, rinse with water, then reinstall. Run water through it to see if the water pressure has improved. If not, you may have a leak. In that case, you’ll likely want a qualified plumber to assists, so check our neighborhood reports for a plumber near you.
5. Jammed garbage disposal. When people place a little too much faith in their garbage disposal, they often have to deal with jams. Fortunately, clearing a jam is generally rather manageable.
The fix: Fixing your garbage disposal may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but here are the basics:
Make sure your garbage disposal is turned off. For even better safety, hit the breaker so it can’t turn on while you’re working with it.
Allow the water to drain before working on the disposal. If there’s a clog that prevents the water from draining, bail out as much as possible.
Consult your owner’s manual for further instructions. Generally, you’ll need to use a wrench to unscrew a bolt at the base of the garbage disposal. From there, you can hit the overload protector before removing the blockage with tongs.
Fixing your plumbing issues on your own isn’t always easy, but you can get a great deal of pride out of a job well done! If you ever feel uncomfortable with tackling an issue, please reach out to someone more experienced or a professional.
Cheers,
Julie & Ted